Here I would like to tell you how I made the displacement map, which I wanted to add as a line structure to the tree. As it was quite difficult to draw it in the Photoshop, I did it the other way and I simply modelled it from a plane object with a high number of faces by using paint deformation in editable poly. I did it three times on three different planes with different brush sizes and strengths. You can see something similar on the next picture (image a).

Further on, I transformed this model into a 2d displacement map. I did it by rendering a z-depth map from the top view to this object. So it became a map which I have then used to displace some parts of the tree. Here is the rendered z-depth map (image b).

image a

image b

I made the long leaves with standard max hair and fur which was causing me a headache:) I had to redo them 4 times until I was fully satisfied. The small leaves were done with the same method as the small tree on the right.
When it was nearly finished, I rendered it out and connected it in Photoshop. This was just to check the composition again. After I checked it I decided, that it would be cool to have some darker bushes in the foreground to lead the viewer's eye into the scene. So I drew the shape directly on the picture in PS and then modelled the bushes from this. The last step was the creation of background and post production

Making the Background

I spent some time searching on the Internet for nice skies and mountains. The final background is a composition of 5 different pictures. There was then added, a volume light and colour correction in the post production and final picture was done:)

I hope that this "short" making of was helpful to you and you learned something. I'm really looking forward to see some feedback, so don't hesitate to write me, if you have any question and just to say hello:)